joyce



(No Model.) 2 Shets-Sheet 2.

S. J. JOYCE, FIRE ESCAPE..."

No. 293,177. Patented Feb. 5; 1884.

'INVENTOR fimmk fimsw- BYVMWM ATTORNEYQ' N. PETEns, Phaln-Lilho npher. Washington. D. c.

PATENT Orric n.

SAMUEL J. JOYCE, on NEW roan, n. Y.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 293,177, dated February 5, 1254..

Application filed April T, 1883. (No model.)

1'0 all whom it may concern Be 1t known that I, SAMUEL J; Joron, a

citizen of Great Britain, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented new and useful Imp rovements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a speci fica-tion. p This invention relates to that class of firewindow, and the traction-rope being drawn over a guide-pulley on such bar, while the flexible rails are combined with reels, and the vious figures.

traction-rope with a windlass supported on a portable frame.

This invention will be and claimed, and is illustrated in the accom panying drawings, in which Figure l is an end View, showing the apparatus in position for use on a building. Fig. 2 is a side-view thereof. Fig. 3 is a similar view separate from the building, partly in section, and on a larger scale than in the pre- Fig. 4 is an end view, partly in section. Fig. 5 is an end view, looking in an opposite direction to Fig. 4.

Similar letters indicate similar parts.

The letter A designates the portable frame, which may be mounted on wheels B, for its convenient transportation, and which forms the bearings for a shaft, 0, having one end made square to receive a winch or crank for turning it,

The letterD indicates two reels placedloosely on the shaft 0, and D a windlass fixed to the shaft intermediate of the reels, so that said reels may turn independently of the shaft, while the windlass shares its motion.

On the reels 1) are wound flexible rails F,

consisting in this example of ropes, the outer ends of which are connected to a bar, G, Figs. 1 and 2, which is adapted to extend across a window on the interior ofa building, as shown,

so that this bar may act as a brace for connecting the rails to the window.

On the windlass D is arranged a tractionrope, H, or a chain, which thence extends over a guide-pulley, I, mounted on the bracehereinafter described ,bar G, and is secured at the end to a car, J, having its wheels arranged in proper relation to the rails F. The body of this car is suitably constructed to supportone or more persons, and may, if desired, be closed to conceal and protect the persons using it. The rails F and traction-ropeH wind and unwind in opposite directions, the traction-rope being below the rails in use, as shown in Fig. 1, and the motion of the reels 1), containing the rails, is produced by a driving-shaft, K, the latter being geared with the reels through pinions N on the shaft, and cog-wheels 0, one on each reel. .1 Said driving-shaft, like the main shaft (1, is squared at one end to receive a crank, and to it is fixed a ratchet-wheel, l, engaging with a pawl, Q, to prevent the unwinding of the rails F under normal conditions, so that when the rails have been adjusted in length the building they remain taut.

, To the main shaft 0 is fixed a brake-wheel, It, engaging with a brake-strap, S, the latter being attached to the frame at one end, thence extending around the brake-wheel, and having its other end connected to a hand-lever, T, in a well-known manner, so that the motion of the main shaft may be controlled, with a like V effect on the traction-rope.

On applying the apparatus to use, the rails F are unwound and the brace-bar G is put in place, it being raised to the window by a line kept ready for this purpose. As said bar G is raised, the traction -rope H becomes unwound, due to its passage over the guide-pulley I, and the car J having been placed on the rails, it is raised to thewindow by rewinding said rope. Then when the car has become occupied it is lowered, and so on until all the oceupants of the building have escaped, when the brace-bar G is withdrawn from the window.

To release the brace-bar and allow its withdrawal, it may be connected at one end to a line arran ed to )ass over a Julie on the u per part of the window, it thence extending to the ground, so that by pulling the line the bar is displaced at one end.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of the portable frame, the shaft supported thereby, the two reels and the windlass, all mounted on the one shaft,

with the Windlass between the two reels and turning with the shaft, and the reels loose thereon, the flexible car-rails arranged on the reels, the traction-rope arranged on the windlass, the car connected with the traction-rope,

the brace-bar secured to the ear-rails and provided with the guide-pul1ey, and a drivingshaft for rotating the reels on the shaft of the' Windlass, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination, substantially as here' inbeforc set forth, of the main shaft, the windlass fixed to said shaft, the reels mounted 10osely thereon, the driving-shaft geared with the reels, the ratchet-wheel fixed to the driving-shaft, and the pawl engaging the ratchet wheel.

SAMUEL J. JOYCE. [L s] \Vitnesses:

XV. HAUFF, Crus. XVAHLERs. 

